The Osceola times., 1887-08-27

u
smaller Clothing stores-How the Run.
ners Settle Their Disputes.
There is no class Of business men in
large city among whom competition
is 50 great rs among the proprietors of
the smaller clothing stores. 1t is this
competition that gives to the COM
munity an interesting class of people
the clothing house runners or ropers.
Their business is to lariat strangers
passing on the street and steer them
| into their house and sell them goods,
whether they want any thing or not
The bunko-steerers and the cappcrs of
brace faro games in the good old
gambling days were not able to hold n
candle 10 these clearinghouse cappcrs.
The pedestrian will find them by scores
along Franklin avenue, and several of
them may be seen In front of clothing
stores on Fourth and Fifth streets.
They generally take up a position be-
tween the dummies, on which the fair
Ell specimens OF the houses goods are
displayed in front, and there they lie
in wait for the unsuspecting victim, or
else bawl and scream at passers-by to
"stcp in and examine the fine stock of
goods lately received, at prices so low
that they're ashamed to mark them on
the goods for fear the opposition might
catch on
The other day representative OF
The GIo5e- Democrat stood near "glod-
ink stoarc' and watched the festive
runner plying his avocation. He stood
right in line with the dummies, and
WIS almost as rigid as they, except
when he fell into u few steps of a clog
dance and watched his feet. A granger
hove into view down the street, and
the runner smelled him. it seemed, for
be Just broke into a smile, and pulled
down his cuffs and threw out his arms,
as though preparing for a great physi-
cal feat. Determination was stamped
upon his face, and as the granger came
slowly along the settled look became
stronger. and it BODIED no good to the
unsuspccting individual approaching
his fate. Mr.. Granger had on straw
hat Of pipe-clay hue. with holes in the
rim and dents in the crown and sweat
stains on the faded band. His panta-
looms were of the butternut order, and
there was n wealth of them behind
which the utmost tension of his sus-
penders failed TO raise upward. His
coat was of the same style, and his
boots, as they fell upon the walk. gave
forth sounds Ike those of pounding the
head of barrel. He spied the dummies
and eyed them critically. He smiled
and view himself from his shoulders to
his toes. He looked back at the dunn
mics and completed his mental COM
parison. He reached out his hand
rather hesitatingly, as if he feared he
was violating some law, and felt the
goods on thecoat, rubbing it between
his foretinger and thumb.
Swoop! the runner was on him. He
grabbed his arm and he shook his hand ;
he palted his back and he pointed to
The dummies and remarked that there
was coincidence that one of the dunn
niles had whiskers just like the gran
ger thought they were not subject to
The sportive winds, as his were.
Fine suit you want, sirP We've
got EN-, finest on earth, straight from
New York last week and cheap as dirt.
One like this on this blonde here y;
ths one on this dude S3-all kinds OF
SUITS all kinds Of prices Step right
IN step right in.''
lhe latter part of the invitation was
entirely unnecessary, for from the time
he laid hands on the visitor he had been
pushing him 10 the door and had finally
got the bewildered man inside. He
Started TO exp ain. but he wasn't al
lowed to open his mouth at all. He
was shown the clothes scattered on the
tables. He was invited 10 inspect a
specially fine pair of green pants,
winch the clerk frisked out of heap OF
goods and threw open with snap like
SaWhpand then put the waist up under
Ms chin and began stroking at the
creased legs with either hand.
The granger didn't want any pants,
he reckoned.
Wei, may be he wanted vest'
No.
Well, then. a coat?
No, he rcckoned he'd come round
"5ain, or look somewhere else before
purchasing.
lie started to 60, but the roper con
n'hted him and he paused. Things
"ere getting desperate. They told hin
.'A' II he tackled any other house in
p"h they'd rob hlm. and perhap.
"'o~ his mangled remains into .
.,"sc. They had clothes right there
s.a' ne wea.tu'. sna their !:ks ags:s
a sShsrs, net svsp IN New York H